Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Not a massive pub goer but at 8.45 in Alsancak on Wednesday evening The Ravine, Mambos and The red Lion were closed. This seems to be a trend, I know it is a quiet time of year but I have always thought the regularity of opening hours was very important to keeping a regular clientèle. I know there are alternatives but I don't want to drive and am not comfortable walking along the sides of poorly lit roads with the way some people drive either.

There are some who say that if there is no custom then you may as well save on electricity etc and go home early. I have noticed over the last few months that this has been the case at many of the bars and restaurants between Girne & Karsiyaka. Not good if like jonnie you decide you fancy going out for a pie and pint on a pleasant evening later on.

I do have some empathy with those running bars especially if they own the place and therefore do not have to stay open to pay the rent, they know their regular clients will return whatever.

I think it is a sign of the times that people are just not going out so often and the area just cannot support keeping all these bars open permanently. Several around Lapta Strip have been closed full time over part or all of the winter period.

Was in a bar the other night watching utd and Madrid and it was packed! Full off blokes, half local and half ex pat. Bit like a gay bar, if you like that sort of thing,I just watched the match and got out quick!! And full on smoking in doors tut tut. it stunk

Like it or not, Ham on brown , that is one of the explanations - I understand a lot of pubs in England have lost business and even had to close permanently because of no smoking!

And Jonnie makes another point: I dont drink alcohol, but I would quite like to go out for a quick simple meal occasionally and I can drink coffee till the cows come home! Cant because the unsuitable vehicles irresponsible driven in narrow roads make it too stressful either by car or on foot and of course the dark nights and risk of bad weather make it even more of a no no at this time of year.

Spot on Rambling Rose, the no smoking policy has destroyed the local pub culture where people used to meet up for a pint, fag and a chat, no community spirit anymore.

Should name and shame Ham on Brown nothing keeps me out of a place more and most of the smokers I know do not mind going outside.

Disagree Belle, the uk pubs are falling by the day due to the cost of drink in supermarkets and the " Monster in the corner". Yes some will have closed as a result of non smoking policy but it is all to easy to blame that for lack of vision and poor management. Like it or not the licensed trade in the UK were repeatedly warned that if they did not take adequate steps the smoking ban would be the next step. There was a forerunner to the smoking ban where premises could be satisfactorily ventilated but fewer than 1 in 20 took it up.

Times have changed,pubs are no longer the first choice for interacting and having a chat with friends, I can meet up with my friends from anywhere in the world at anytime of the day,in cyber space.. And it doesn't stink of smoke or come with a health warning

Here in Ireland pubs are closing by the day, reasons being supermarket prices and the fact that people do not have the moey to spend on drink.

Tin hat time again.....................

pubs with "the monster in the corner" blaring out football, or any other kind of noisy programme that disturbs conversation or the playing of traditional , quiet games should carry a health warning

There are enough places for us all to go and enjoy a night of whatever we want, well there should be but due to narrow minded owners who cannot see the wood for the trees there is not.

Why? IMO of course and hypothetically, a bar is succesful one or two nights per week by having the box in the corner with football on so I will go to the bar with no TV. However because of those two nights the owner of the bar where I go thinks "I want a share of that". So I leave but nobody transfers from the pub already showing football because they like it there. Consequently the bar owner does not rethink just spends lots on advertising with huge signs outside advertising football. Finally he gives up, having wasted thousands on stupid ideas instead of thinking of something unique to offer customers who do not want to watch football.

As for smoking, I do not like it but on short term basis will tolerate if friends want to smoke because that is what friends are for. Here though the problem is only for a couple of months, normally, and most will step outside for a few minutes if the are that desperate. Rest of year we are all outside anyway and to me is not a problem.

It goes a bit further than that. When loads of Yeni Brits arrived expecting all "home comforts" rather than adapting to the customs of their adopted country, loads of people jumped on the Bandwagon of providing Brit style pubs and Cypriots jumped on the bandwagon of leasing premises to Brits and retiring on the proceeds. The market flooded and the Brits who hadnt taken account of the extra overheads they faced (rent, work permits etc.) , nor the fact that demand was affected by seasonal tourist trade, had to find gimmicks to (TV. ,music etc. etc.) attract the customers. The global financial crisis and the no smoking ban no doubt added to the problems.

Result anyone who just wants a nice cafe/bar where they can have a drink/coffee and a smoke , a chat or a quiet read of the paper is left out in the cold - literally in the case of smokers because there are more than two months when it is not possible to sit outside.

Spot on RR. You have been here a short while longer than us but it is obvious what happened, Costas in Spain, Greek Islands etc. Most of us like an area because it is what it is but Brits on Tour just cannot abide being away from..........well....Britain so the ruin the place to satisfy their needs, get ripped off and then moan about it.

Yes you are right CiH it happens everywhere. Even in peoples own country they are attracted to an area because a book or TV series , whatever, has given them the idea it is "quaint" or "cute" or "picturesque" so they go there and remake it in their own image, ruining whatever the attraction was! Here it happened post 2004 , when people realised the place existed and and was accessible - and of course cheap which is the first thing that went by the board. Sometimes one despairs of the human race!

Try the new bar next to Kings Court called the Grapes, warm friendly and open till 11.00 pm